Scraps & Miscellaneous

This is one of those projects that came from looking at other artists' blogs. I have looked at so many I can't remember who offered up this challenge, but it was to dig around in your supplies, pick several things you do not use and make something with your findings. Well, I did not have a problem doing that -- there are literally hundreds of supplies I don't use on a regular basis, and they are things I purchased because I just had to have them to enhance my art. Okay, the top pic here is the beginnings of a mini journal or mini zine using the items shown in the pic below it. I just grabbed and did not pay attention to colors or anything. Then it was "what am I going to make with this stuff?" I had my double plastic wrap overstamped watercolor papers, so I decided to make the mini journal/zine. I'll post more pics when I'm finished.

Well, I do use the Jelly Roll pens but I needed something familiar.....

Om

I was really thinking about how much I wish we could have peace in the world. If we could only see ourselves as "one", because we truly are. The world would be so much better. It seems so naive but it's worth wishing for. That said, this is a page out of my journal. I used inks over gesso and attached an image that I printed on tissue paper. Then there is the ubiquitous rubber stamp. Where would I be without rubber stamps. They are what started my on my artistic path. My taste in rubber stamps has changed a lot, but they certainly have their place. I do love them. Back to my thought for peace, I heard John Lennon singing "Imagine" on the radio this morning. I've heard the lyrics many times, but today I listened. This is for you, John!

Double plastic wrap overstamped papers

Here are some more overstamped double plastic wrap background watercolor papers which I intend to use for mini journals/zines like the two below.

You can find out how to make these papers on Susan's blog

Mini Zines

Success/Failure

I've been working with transparency transfers. There is one success

on the bottom left of this page and one failure on the top right

I seem to have no problem transfering in this manner

with black and white but when it comes

to color, no luck. I'm using Golden soft gel matte

on both the image and the substrate

I tried several color transfers on scratch paper

and the same problem. I also tried spitzing with alcohol - no luck

with that either.

I'm going to try some other transfers with Great White paper.

Those work well for me. I just like the

instant gratification I get

with the transparency transfer.

I don't have to wait for it to dry completely.

It's been a frustrating morning, but this is how I learn.Someone said "If at first you don't succeed, try try again!" It's not

very deep thinking but it's so true!

New Face

My blog has been undergoing reconstruction. I drove myself crazy trying to create my own

banner to fit across the top and finally found out that my template would not allow for that. So I

changed my template. Now I just need to figure out how to add text to my picture that I'm

using. Stay tuned -- it may actually happen in the next day or two. We are having a really hot

spell in Southern California -- in the high 80's - 90's, so I think we will go to one of our favorite

restaurants and sit outside to enjoy the balmy weather into the evening.

Paper Bag Study 3

My third in a series of three paper bag studies. I used charcoal, graphite, colored pencils and a pitt pen. I really like the effect of colored pencils on the paper bag. Even though I know our eyes are not exactly symmetrical, I always try to get them exactly perfect. I missed perfection in this one. I'm just happy that I'm drawing something everyday.

Paper Bag Study 2

Second paper bag study. I'm really into the eye with the flower for some reason! Used charcoal pencil, colored pencils, Faber Castell pitt pen, some pigment ink, and the Uniball Signo white gel pen. I like the way the eye turned out. I'm really liking this brown paper too. I need to do a third for a series, so stay tuned! I eventually will do a self portrait and reading Mixed-Media Self-Portraits . I finally got a copy after waiting forever.

Paper Bag Study

This is the first of a series of paper bag drawings. I want to

play with some different

mediums. I used a micron pen,

a pitt pen, colored

markers, and colored pencils. I think I'll also use

charcoal on my next drawing.

Delightful

Still feeling "in the pink" I used

a large transparency that

I had made with

3M transparency. After

learning that 3M changed their

formula and it was no longer effective

for transfers, I kept them

to use for transparent

works. I like this

sketch and will probably use

it many times.

The heart is a piece of clip art

but it almost looks

transparent too.

Great Love

I'm lucky to have my "great love" and we share a glass of wine here and there. Champagne is the absolute best for special occasions. Yesterday was one of those days where my muse was sleeping but I was determined to put a couple works together. This one is just scraps of paper I had lying around, a piece of clip art and some ribbon. Oh, and my Uniball Signo white pen! It is the best!!!! I've tried Sharpie poster paint markers and White Out and Jelly Roll. None work like this pen. It writes over just about anything and does not skip!!!!

Color Mixing Exercises

After reading Above the Mark's "how tos", I hit upon this color mixing exercise, and that is how I learned about the book "Blue and Yellow Don't Make Green". I decided to order the book and try the exercises. Beth at Above the Mark was even kind enough to post a blank worksheet for us to do the exercises on. Here are my first few exercises using two colors and then adding increments of white to get lighter tints. Below this series of exercises I posted a couple of my journal pages using one of the color exercises so be sure to scroll down. The information to purchase the book is included in that post as well.



Oops, didn't quite finish this one

Color Study 2 Sample

Playing with cerulean blue and hansa yellow color mixing. I bought the book Blue and Yellow Don't Make Green and so far have done about 5 of the color exercises. Had some leftover paint so I played in my journal . I should have purchased this book before I purchased so many tubes of paint. It's amazing how many colors you can make with a very limited number of colors. Not that I always want to mix colors for every endeavor but it's nice to know that I can. Sherre at Arttechniques group is also doing a color principles workshop. I love this group because it has so many talented members who share, share, and share.

Note Cards

These are note cards using one of my sketches. A friend asked me to make some note cards for her. It was another computer CHALLENGE!!! not having done this. It seems so simple now that I've done it, but I must have spent 2 hours just trying to figure out how to work with a template. My friend Lin had previously sent me some collage napkins and enclosed a beautiful embossed note with one of her watercolor sketches. Do go to her blog and see all her wonderful sketches. I emailed her and asked how she did it. She sent me downloads of horizontal and vertical templates. My challenge was that I could not figure out how to place my image within the embossed borders. Couple emails later and I finally figured out I could click on the image and drag in the corners. It's so easy unless you don't know how to do it. I like these because there are times when I don't want to send a totally handmade card with lots of work on it knowing it's going to be tossed. (But Lin, I still have your luscious olive branch note card and plan to keep it. ) This way I'm out a note card and some printer ink. It's so much fun just learning little things on the computer. I'm frustrated when I don't get it, but totally jazzed when I finally do get it!!!

Double Plastic Wrap Technique

The results of my attempt at Susan's overstamped double saran wrap technique. I will post some more as I attempt to get a better result. The top one I tried on matte coat cardstock and found that watercolor paper is much better as Susan instructs. The middle paper was waaaaay too dark, so overstamped with white gesso. I like the colors on the bottom paper the best but spraying the rubber image did not work so well. Probably had the image too wet. Okay, back to the "drawing" board.

It's Award Day

It's my lucky day again! Thank you, Michi, for this award! Gee, I'm going to have to step up here and get a little more creative with my blog - like figure out how to do a new banner/header. There are so many really creative blogs out there and I drool with the images, content and general layout of the blogs. Also so many of you are such creative writers!!! So it's my pleasure to pass this on to some very deserving artists. Besides being great artists, they are willing to share their talent with others. I've learned a lot from following these blogs, so go visit them and enjoy! Don't forget to pass this on to give others the joy!

1. http://zuzuspetalsstuff.blogspot.com/
2. http://expressionstudio.blogspot.com/
3. http://tommykane.blogspot.com/
4. http://katherineq.blogspot.com/
5. http://trishbee.co.uk/
6. http://allnorahsart.blogspot.com/
7. http://viewfromtheoak.blogspot.com/